Overpronation: My Shoes Wear Out Faster on the Outside… What Does This Mean?

Many people notice that their shoes wear out faster on the outside, in particular in the heel area of the shoe. This leads them to believe that their feet roll outwards, instead of inwards. However, nothing could be further from the truth! Our feet normally land on the outside edge first (heel strike), and as part of our normal gait, the feet roll inwards. Often, the more a person lands on the outside of their feet, the more their feet will roll inwards!

The truth is practically the opposite: wearing your shoes out on the outside indicates lateral instability during walking, and it is often accompanied by overpronation.

On the right is a sequence demonstrating a flat-footed person walking normally: notice that the heel normally strikes on the outside first, and then afterwards the feet roll inwards!